This chapter is a quiet, character-driven listen that sits with Hermione after her first heat. She wakes to find Draco gone, the scent that clings will not wash away, and a difficult conversation with Professor McGonagall follows about consent, possible consequences for Draco, daily suppressants from Slughorn, and how rare an unbound Omega at Hogwarts truly is, with Molly Weasley, Druella Rosier, and Cassandra Ollivander as historical touchpoints. Hermione weighs autonomy, pregnancy, and marriage against the pull of instinct, accepts staff support, and agrees to a supervised apology with Neville. A book titled Soulbound hints at the choices ahead.